A Dream Within a Dream
by Scarlett Cheri
Summary: A writer taps away at her keyboard with a new fan-fiction full of romance and adventure only to find herself trapped within her own story! Now she must share the body of a character she herself created and capture the heart of a certain emerald eyed hollow, oh, and maybe save the world while trying to find a way back home too. No biggie! Ulquiorra love story
1. Chapter 1: Fiction and Non-fiction

**Hello there! This will be my...3rd fanfiction, this time with Ulquiorra x OC! This is rated mature with language and...potentially sexual future content! :D I will update ASAP, but for now, enjoy! Oh, reviews are welcome! :) **

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The sound of my Razor Black Widow keyboard clacking away furiously filled the empty room. I leaned against the propped up pillow I jacked from the downstairs couch and pondered the next event. What kind of character should she be? I've always been a sucker for someone OP. Oh, that means overpowering, by the way. Hmm. Maybe a Vasto Lorde? I sighed, thudding my head against the wall behind me. That particular subject has been done and redone so many times it wasn't even remotely interesting anymore. I bit my lip and let the silence fill my ears. Silence was always good for writing. It's actually the only way I can write really. Noise peels me away from the story; it distracts me too much. The clicking of the keyboard was different though. That is the sound of delicious progress. I smiled and shook my head.

Hougyoku...What if the hougyoku was a person? What if when Urahara Kisuke made the hougyoku, he never realized the power it had to manifest itself as a material being? That's actually a good idea! I smiled again while my mind went to work constructing the scene around her. Now...what kind of story?...Romance...because Ulquiorra is smoking hot. Maybe Grimmjow too? I can do a split off where both of them are in love with her…? Does that make her too much of an indecisive whore? I mean, no one likes a Bella Swan...Whatever. Both of them are hot...fan service! I muffled a giggle to myself. Alrighty. My fingers got to work.

* * *

_My body ached as I struggled with my own eyelids. Body…? My eyes flashed open. I was staring at a pair of small white hands as delicate as the first bud of spring. They moved and it momentarily startled me until I realized it was my own. I marveled at my fleshed form. It was languid, heavy, as if it wasn't quite mine yet. With each struggled twitch, I became more and more accustomed to the flesh. I was so preoccupied with the pleasure of moving that I hadn't realized I had company. _

_They surrounded me in a sporadic circle with both faces of surprise, curiosity, and some hostility. Most of them were men, hollow, to be exact, except for three. One spoke. _

"_I'm surprised. The Hougyoku can actually take a human form." A deep voice resonated within the walls. I turned to stare at the source of the voice. He had brown hair slicked back to frame a set of chocolate eyes that were about as sweet as acid. A frozen arrogant smile was plastered to his face like he was born with it. _

"_That human is the Hougyoku?" Another voice questioned with incredulity. He was looking down at me with disdain. Then again, it seems like he looks down at everything with those equally scorning eyes the color of the sky. His hair was the same matching blue with a piece of his hollow mask on his right cheek. _

"_The Hougyoku merely took the form of a human. It seems the willpower of the Hougyoku is stronger than Urahara Kisuke had ever imagined." The first man answered. He knelt in front of me and flung a white fabric over my shoulders, covering my nude body from the dissecting eyes. It was then that I realized I was female. My hands explored my new body curiously. I squeezed on my ample breasts and realized they were soft and perky. My fingers trailed down my stomach to reach for places my eyes could not see, but a hand on my wrist stopped me. I followed the fingers that wrapped around my wrist back to its owner. _

_The first thing that caught my eye was his eyes. They were smoldering, dark emeralds with slitted black pupils set on his delicate face. Two green tear trails drew from his eyes down his cheeks to his chin. Atop his black hair was a broken hollow mask that resembled a horned helmet, though only horn remained. His lips moved and I almost didn't catch what he said since I had lost myself in his eyes._

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I bit my lip again. What would Ulquiorra say to a naked girl who was touching herself inappropriately at a time like this?...I couldn't quite think of anything. Ulquiorra really isn't much of a talker. My lips were really beginning to bother me, so I got up to pour myself some water from the jug on the counter. Crawling back under the covers with my keyboard back in my lap, I started to click away again.

* * *

"_Answer Aizen-sama's question." The emerald man commanded emotionlessly. I looked at him questioningly. Who was Aizen? Did someone say something? _

"_No matter, Ulquiorra. I believe she is still getting used to her body. I do not believe she heard me." The brown haired ice cube smiled. _

_I tried to repeat the name of the man kneeling in front of me, but my mouth wasn't quite working the way I had wanted it to. What came out sounded like, "Ai...en?" _

_Turning to the emerald eyed man, I tried repeating his name as well, but his name proved much more difficult compared to the other one, "U-U...Uu..ki...a?" A few snickers sounded around me. Anger flashed through me like wild fire. It wasn't that I was stupid. I wasn't an infant. I am all the knowledge in the world. The muscles in my mouth weren't working quite right yet and yet these lowly hollows were treating me like I was some sort of babbling baby. I raised a finger and pointed it at the closest one that had mocked me. It was a girl hollow with pig tailed black hair and a hollow mask on one eye. I wanted to wipe that insolent smirk off her ugly face, so I concentrated on the point of my finger as my reiatsu began to gather rapidly in a large cero ball. I watched joyfully as her smirk turned to surprise when she realized she wouldn't be fast enough to dodge from a cero at almost point blank range. Just as it was about to fire, the same pale ashen hands that were closed around my wrist knocked my outstretched hands up towards the ceiling. The cero fired with a large explosion and the ceiling was suddenly gone. I turned to the emerald eyed man named Ulquiorra in fury. _

_The girl hollow who had been seconds away from death snapped out of her daze, "You BITCH! You tried to kill me, you pathetic human!" She began reaching for me, but was stopped by the overwhelming reiatsu that suddenly filled the room. _

"_That's enough." Aizen's voice vibrated with power. Everyone froze while the girl hollow fell to her knees under the pressure of his reiatsu. I could feel it, but it wasn't overwhelming. His reiatsu eased away. _

"_Ulquiorra, you will be in charge of taking care of her." Aizen commanded. Ulquiorra bowed and half dragged me to my feet. The muscles still weren't working quite right so they quivered under the weight of my body. He must have noticed this since I was suddenly airborne and cradled against his chest. I flashed another glare up at him, but quickly turned away. I couldn't seem to stay angry when I looked into his eyes. He either didn't notice or chose to ignore it as he walked out of the crowd and down a hallway. _

_Ulquiorra had left me alone in a barren room filled with only a bed, a couch, and a large full length mirror that stood in the corner. He stated emotionlessly that he would go retrieve a pair of clothes for me as he left and closed the door soundlessly behind him. I stumbled slowly to the mirror while leaning against the walls for support. I fell to my knees in front of the mirror and admired the woman that stared back at me. She was small of stature, but her chest was bountiful and perky. Long, silver strands curled around her body as it fell to the floor in one long thick wave. They framed a delicate face embellished with a set of diamond eyes silver of color and almost seemed to glow. Thick black lashes embroidered the eyes as a finishing touch. I smiled._

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I smiled, satisfied with my progress. While I took a momentary break to ponder the next events. I closed my eyes and envisioned the scene. She was nude and knelt before a mirror like a goddess admiring her own beauty in the water's reflection. I stood behind her watching the reflection in the mirror. Suddenly, it seemed as though her eyes connected with mine. The reflection in the mirror was no longer staring at herself. She watched someone behind her, but it seemed as though she was staring straight at me. She whispered with a smile, "_What is your heart's desire?"_

My eyes flashed open again, taking in the empty bedroom around me again. I rubbed my eyes. I must have been staring at the laptop screen for too long. Screen radiation is scary. I took a deep breath to relax myself as I sunk back into the bed comfortably. Setting aside the keyboard and closing my laptop shut, I walked over to the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom. I poured myself another cup of water as I sipped on it. My eyes fell to the mirror as I stared at myself drinking from the grass green mug. That had been a little bit creepy. I reasoned it away as radiation and lack of sleep while I finished the remaining water in the mug. Just as I was setting it down, my eyes fell to the reflection in the mirror again. It wasn't me. With wide eyes, I stared at the nude silver haired goddess as she stared back at me. I jumped back away out of the sight of the mirror and dashed back under the covers with record speed. There is no fucking way. My entire body was tensed as my mind reeled, imagining The Ring scenes where some creepy long haired Sadako crawls out of the mirror. Nothing happened. I swallowed hard as my mind tried to reason with itself. _There's no fucking way. Screen radiation is scary. I'm sorry I didn't listen to you sooner mom. I think I fried my brains. I better not go mentally crazy and end up in a psych ward because of this. Dream. I wrote to much today. Maybe something I ate? I knew that stupid In N' Out burger was a bad idea! _I scooted off the bed and slowly inched back towards the bathroom. I peeked around the wall and caught a glimpse of the mirror before I darted back. It looked normal enough. I peeked again, this time, looking thoroughly at the entirety of the mirror. I caught my own reflection sneaking around the wall and I let go of the breath I didn't know I had been holding. Standing in front of the mirror again, I was still tense, but soon realized that the reflection would not change again. I rubbed my eyes. I must really be tired.

I ran some water and splashed my face with cold water. It startled me, but it was a welcoming shock. When I had rubbed the water out of my eyes and opened them, I was once again staring at the silver haired girl. This time, I let out an involuntary scream as I jumped back away from the mirror while my back hit the wall. Before I could run out of the bathroom, the silver haired girl's arm emerged from the mirror and shoved me back against the wall. I screamed loud and hard while my heart felt like it would jump right out of my open mouth. I struggled and pushed at the ghostly hands. _THERE IS NO FUCKING WAY THIS IS HAPPENING. I AM NOT DYING LIKE SOME THIRD RATE HORROR MOVIE RIP OFF. NO FUCKING WAY. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYFUCKINGGOD! _

"_I will grant your wish." _The ghost lady whispered as her body separated completely from the mirror. I screamed louder. _There is no fucking way!_ Her face closed in on me until she silence me with her lips on mine. As soon as her lips touched mine, my vision blacked out as my senses faded. The last thing I remembered was my body falling, but I never got to the floor before I was completely out.

I woke with a start like a jerking reaction you get when you suddenly feel your body falling. My eyes flew open and my body flung upright. I was kneeling on the floor naked, staring into the full length mirror in the corner of the barren room. In the mirror was the same silver haired girl. With a yelp, I crab-walked backwards away from her, the memory of her oozing from the mirror still fresh on my mind. Strangely, she backed away from me too. Her face was frightful as if she had just seen a ghost. Her lips were parted and her chest heaved with each fear. I paused. This didn't seem right. _Why was she afraid of me?_ I looked into the mirror harder as both our eyes widened. Our hands both reached towards our faces. _This is not happening…!_ My hand connected with my face and I realized in horror it was all wrong. My cheekbones felt different, my lips were different. My nose was different! Everything is different! _This is not fucking happening!_ I drew in breath to scream right before the door behind me creaked open. I swiveled around just in time to see Ulquiorra step through the doors with a set of neatly folded clothes in one hand and a regarding expression on his face.

I screamed.


	2. Chapter 2: A Glimpse Beneath the Mask

**Thank you LD-2015 for the first review! :D I'm so glad you liked it! I hope I don't disappoint with the continuations! Thank you also to all those that Favorited/Followed! **

I apologize for the late update! Here is chapter 2!

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_Oh, no no no no no no no no… This is not happening! _I was still screaming. _This is so fucking NOT happening! There is _no _way this is some "oh shit, she fell into another world" stories! What am I, the main character to some weird ass shoujo manga? No! _I was out of breath, so for the moment, the screaming stopped. I scooted myself backwards against the nearest wall and cradled my about-to-explode head in my quivering palms.

_Alright. Calm down. Let's be calm. _Ulquiorra was suddenly in front of me, and I let out a sound between a squeak and a squawk. I hadn't seen him move. _Of course not! He's fucking Ulquiorra! Most OP Espada because he's got TWO resurreccion forms. Don't know about him vs. Stark...ah, DOES THAT EVEN MATTER RIGHT NOW?! _I squished my eyes shut again as tight as I could. _Okay, okay, so I got dragged into this world by the...hougyoku. God I haven't even named her yet. She said she was going to grant my heart's desire. What...did I ever ask to get pulled into this make-believe world by Kubo Tite? No! No, I don't believe I fucking did! Like, ya, it might be nice to meet Ulquiorra, but let's face it, he's more inclined to killing me than fucking me...HA! _I scoffed. _That's just sad. _

"What do you think you're doing, woman?" Ulquiorra said emotionlessly. _Oh yes, just ask me what the fuck I'm doing. I HAVE NO IDEA! _I let out a nervous laugh.

"You wouldn't believe…" I said nervously. He watched me silently.

_Okay, so for some god damn reason, I'm currently stuck in my own story, or Tite Kubo's...not sure yet. The Hougyoku is a girl, well hell, I'm in said girl's body, so...mine? I haven't even thought up of what I was going to do with the girl! How the hell is this going to play out? Oh god, I can't believe this is happening! Why me?_

"Can I please be alone for a minute?" I asked meekly without looking. He was silent, but after a few moments, he strode towards the door and closed it silently behind him again. I took a deep breath and scooted back towards the mirror. It was a lot harder than I had thought. I guess I made the hougyoku a little bit too weak. I slapped myself mentally for my own stupidity.

Staring at the stranger in the mirror, I spoke, "If you're there, you better fucking say something. You've got a lot of explaining to do!" She didn't move. I was glaring at my own reflection. _Oh god, now I really belong in the loony bin. I'm talking to a god damn mirror! _

I tried again, "You're going to bring me here and then leave me, is that it?" No answer, "I didn't fucking ask for this you bitch!"

"_Yes, you did." _A beautiful and yet ghostly sing-song voice whispered in my head.

"You. You really need to stop doing that. It's creepy enough to be in your body. Can you stop...doing that, your little 'whisper in your head' bullshit? It's seriously creeping me out!" I berated.

"_Can't be helped. You're in control now. I cannot speak aloud without a body." _She answered matter of factly.

I tsked. There was a boat load of questions I had for her, but I started with a simple one, "Why did you bring me here?"

Her giggle rang through my head and I shivered involuntarily. _God, this was starting to seem like a horror movie. This is the part where I see a little girl in a white dress drift by and then she magically appears where I least want her to be, RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME! _

"_Didn't I tell you already?" _She continued, "_I am the Hougyoku; it is power to manifest dreams. You wished for it, so I granted it." _

"O-kay...well I'm taking it back." I smiled nervously, "I wish to be back in my own world and out of this wacked-job of a place!" She giggled again.

"GOD! Can you PLEASE stop DOING that!" I rubbed the goosebumps that had risen along my arms.

"_I can't do that. It is not your true desire. Plus, I am exhausted. Granting your wish took a lot out of me. For now, I must sleep…"_ Her voice grew quieter. I paused, waiting for her to continue.

"No. No, you didn't just leave me hanging." I sweated nervously, "Hey!" No answer.

"Tell me you didn't just disappear and leave me in your body in my own messed up world with a WHOLE BUNCH OF HOLLOWS THAT CAN KILL ME WITH THEIR PINKY TOES IN THEIR SLEEP!" I nearly shouted in one breath. My chest heaved and I felt the tears stinging at my eyes again.

_Oh god, this isn't happening...Ohgodgodgodgodgod…_ I took another deep breath and looked around the room, praying that it had changed since the last I looked. Nope.

"Nope...not a dream. This is...totally happening…I am...so fucked." I whimpered. _Okay, okay, okay. Calm down, Scarlett! You can do this! You're the author god damn it! You created this damn place! You've watched all 366 episodes of Bleach, you know what happens! Okay, here was one of those moments when I wished I had paid more attention, and MAYBE read the manga, because what the hell. God! Why didn't I pay attention! I am so stupid! _

I blew out breath from my mouth. "You can do this!" I said to myself. _Let's start by figuring out what this body can do. I _did _make her sort-of OP. I hadn't even decided on her abilities yet..._ I closed my eyes. _She can use the cero. I wanted her to...be a weak damsel in distress so Ulquiorra can come save her. _I face palmed. _Scarlett, you IDIOT!_ _What makes you think Ulquiorra is going to save her anyway? Honestly, the man's about as warm as the arctic ice caps. Oh ya, under the pretense of him "protecting" me. Ya, totally. I don't see him being too fazed about me losing several limbs, as long as I'm still breathing...Grimmjow on the other hand...well, he DID save Orihime when she got ganged up on by the stupid hollow bitches. Maybe I should sweeten up to him instead?...Yup, appeal to his kind heart! _I buried my face in my hands. I was so screwed.

Using the wall for support, I staggered carefully to my feet and flexed the muscles in my new body. I felt about the same as when I had a fever, minus the brain-frying of course. The I-can't-move-worth-shit part was exactly alike though. _Cero. That's the only thing I got going for me right now. I should at least learn how to fire the thing just in case I need it again. Or, WHEN I need it again._ _How did I imagine it to be fired...gathering of reiatsu? _I tried concentrating on my finger tips. Nothing happened. _The fuck? _I concentrated harder. Nothing. _Great. _I tried again and this time, tensing up my entire body, trying to push _something_ out of me. No red glowing orbs. I scoffed. _Why does this remind me of what happened with Ichigo when he was learning how to gather kidou in the spirit cannon ball thingie. I can't even remember the name. Fuck. Oh, maybe..._I tried again, and envisioned a dark black circle and me diving into it. My fingertips became warm and slightly glowed red, but no butt-raping orb. I cursed under my breath.

_WHY IS THIS SO HARD?!_ I continued trying to manifest the cero for the hour or so. Or that's how long it seemed anyway. I was interrupted by footsteps in the hallway outside. I stopped what I was doing momentarily and realized I was still butt naked. Scanning the room, I found the clothes Ulquiorra had brought placed on the couch. I limped over hastily and tried to make sense of the clothing before the footsteps stopped in front of my door. The door knob turned and I was still nude when Ulquiorra stepped into the room again with his same stoic face. I let out a scream and ducked behind the couch with the clothes used as a shield in front of me. I glared at him from over the couch.

"Knock and wait before you come in, will you?!" I scalded. He merely looked at me with that same infuriating face of his. Granted, it was hot. But still!

"Your nudity is of no concern of mine." He said answered, making no move to leave, "Aizen-sama requires your presence."

"Okay, I'll go. Let me get changed first." I answered, still glaring at him.

"Then get changed." He said, still staring at me.

I was incredulous, "Um, can you get out please?"

He was silent for a moment before he replied, "You are the hougyoku. You merely wear the form of a female, but you are an object. I do not understand your concern with feminine modesty."

_My GOD was he being difficult. And here I wanted to fall in love with this guy! _I blushed madly while I tried to slip into the clothes while crouching behind the couch. While trying to put the dress on, I strained my thigh too much and it gave out. I let out a squeal before I fell backwards onto my ass. And suddenly, he was there, kneeling inches away from me while I was half dressed catching me before my head hit the wall.

My face burned. I mumbled a thanks while I covered myself with the rest of the yet-to-be-worn clothes. He didn't move, only stared at me from inches away. His hands were still on my back and arm from when he caught me. It put his knees right up against my own. I was suddenly very aware of my nudity and how cool his hands were against my bare back that seemed to have caught fire. And then my eyes fell to his emerald green eyes and I lost myself. My hand involuntarily moved to touch his face, and he didn't move away when my fingers came into contact with his cheek. It was very cool to the touch and unimaginably smooth. _So soft…_ My eyes drifted downwards to his lips. They were frozen in a frown, but I wanted to touch it, kiss it, and see if it was just as soft… I wanted his arms to hold my naked body while we kissed and have his hands run all over my body. My lips parted involuntarily as I let out a shaky breath and leaned towards him. He still didn't move away. I was out of control, but I didn't care. Here was the man that I dreamed of on so many countless nights. I wanted him, I wanted him so much I couldn't control myself anymore. My hands went to cradle his face as I leaned in all the way. Our lips connected and I felt myself whimper in excitement. I moaned against his frozen lips and peeked through my eyelashes to see his face. His eyes were wider, as if he had been surprised by what I had done. I felt his body tense before he slowly relaxed into my hands again. His arms were frozen by his side, but they weren't pushing me away, so I continued. I moved in closer and pressed my bare chest to his while my lips worked against his. They were unresponsive, but I was determined, not to mention horny. My tongue darted out in a warm line against his bottom lip and I felt him tense again. His emotionless mask was finally beginning to crumble, and for the first time, I saw surprise and uncertainty. I kissed him repeatedly until finally, I felt the first nudge against my own lips. My eyes opened in surprise. His arms were suddenly around me as he pulled me into him and kissed me back almost as fiercely as I had kissed him. His eyes were closed while his arms ran up and down my body, exploring me. It was my turn to tense in surprise. And just as sudden as it had started, it was over. Ulquiorra was suddenly standing against the far wall, away from me. One hand covered his mouth with wide eyes staring down at me. My mind was still reeling from what had just happened that I didn't have time to respond.

"Get dressed, woman." Ulquiorra said, back to his emotionless self as he disappeared out the door with and slamming it behind him with a loud bang. I knelt stunned.

_What just happened?..._


	3. Chapter 3: Visitor in the Night

**I'm sorry for the super, duper, uber late update Dx. I will hopefully be updating a lot more often from now on! :) Sorry! **

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_I just...kissed Ulquiorra..._I turned redder. _And...he kissed me back!_ _That was...that was too good to be true! _I slowly tugged on the dress still lost in thought. Absentmindedly, I had finished dressing and was now kneeling on the floor in a daze with my fingers to my lips, enjoying the afterglow.

I was suddenly snapped out of my daze by the voices outside. I recognized one as Ulquiorra immediately. _So he was outside waiting…_ I strode over and placed my ears against the door. The second voice I recognized as Nnoitra, the 5th Espada. _The sick bastard that's in love with Nel. I wonder what he's doing here..._My mind flashed back to the episode when he bullied Orihime and his past of reducing Nel to what she is now…I shook the memory off and listened.

"It is none of your concern." Ulquiorra replied stoically to something I didn't hear, but there was a hint of irritation that hadn't been there before.

"Don't tell me you haven't _tried_ her yet. That's what took so long, right? If she were under _my _care, I'd do her every chance I got." Nnoitra smirked. I cringed. _Had I had it in mind that he would be this much of a disgusting lech? _I sighed. But now, I understood. This world is mine, not Kubo's. Ulquiorra kissing me, Nnoitra being a sick bastard...the original characters would never do it. This is the world that I created. I wondered if I could still change what is unwritten...I suddenly remembered something. My story was supposed to be a tragedy. I was going to have Ulquiorra die as he did in the original story. I went cold. _I don't want him to die. But Ichigo is coming, and no amount of persuasion or tricks is going to keep those two apart. _It was almost as if destiny had woven them together. _Well, technically Kubo did the weaving._ I sighed. I hadn't heard the rest of the conversation when the door I glued my ears to suddenly swung open. It hit me in the face and sent me reeling backwards on my ass again. Ulquiorra stared down at me with unmoving eyes as if the moment we had together was only a figment of my dreams.

"Ulqui-

Before I could finish saying his name, I was already in his arms and he was striding down the corridors again. I relaxed and enjoyed the moment. _His arms are so strong…_ I stole a glance upwards to his face and blushed just when his eyes locked with mine. Momentarily, I got lost again in his eyes. It was only when he released his hold and dumped me unceremoniously onto the floor that I was snapped out of it. _Ow...he didn't have to drop me…_

We had arrived and I hadn't even noticed. I gulped. We had arrived at the meeting table where Aizen holds his little meetings with the Espada. They all sat at the table with their heads turned towards us as 12 sets of eyes examined me. I wanted to squirm under their gaze and hide behind Ulquiorra, but instead, I stood up shakily to my feet and gathered what courage I had to not fidget with my dress.

Aizen was seated at the far end of the table furthest from me as he lounged with his head rested on his fist smiling at me. He spoke, "Hougyoku, do you have a name?"

I bit my lip and immediately released it. _Don't. Fidget. _Name, name, name. _What the hell was I going to name her again? _My mind was blank. I couldn't come up with a single one. I didn't exactly have all day to sit here and come up with a name for her, so I said the only name that came to mind. "Scarlett." My voice sounded a lot more confident than I felt. _I always hated speaking in front of people! _

"What a beautiful name." Aizen said gently, "These are my Espada." He motioned with his hand to the table.

My eyes darted around and I recognized all of them. It was almost surreal to be standing in their presence. They had always existed behind the monitor screens and now they were...there. I lingered on Grimmjow, who was still sitting there with a scowl plastered on his face. _Why must Kubo make him so hot? It's such an unhealthy relationship…_My eyes went to Starrk and I remembered his past with Lilinette and how he would lose her and die. I blinked past him to Halibel and saw her fraccion defend her before they had turned into Arrancar and how she would die at the hands of Aizen himself. I took a sharp intake of breath. I wasn't sure if I could do this. I suddenly wanted to blurt out everything. I wanted to scream at them and tell them to ditch Aizen and tell them how they would die so they can avoid it. I wanted them to live! Halibel, Starrk, Barragon, Ulquiorra, their fraccion, they can all live! _The others...I really don't give a shit. Grimmjow doesn't die anyway. _I bit down hard on my lip. _I can't. I can't tell them. The Hougyoku doesn't see the future. And plus, if I change the future, god knows what will happen to the story, hell, to any of them. One theory in quantum physics says that destiny cannot be changed...you can throw a rock and create a ripple, but the current will always go back to the original course. They will die, and it'll end up being one of those Final Destination movies. _I shuddered. _There has to be a way!..._

"We're joined here today by a special guest." Aizen continued. Tousen moved and I saw a bandaged hollow kneeling in a glass box of sorts next to him. _That is how they make arrancars…_

Aizen motioned for me to come. I took a deep breath and made my way slowly over. Ulquiorra had sat down when I was lost in my thoughts trying to save the world. I couldn't help but glance over when I passed by his chair. He was still emotionlessly ignoring me. _Indifference._ It stung my chest a little. When I had reached Aizen, I realized I had managed to walk without stumbling. I guess my legs were stronger than I had given them credit for.

He strode over to the box and I followed him like a lost puppy. "Scarlett, would you lend me your power?" I swallowed. _What choice did I have?_ I nodded uneasily. In actuality, I had no idea what I was supposed to do. _What if I couldn't change them into arrancars anymore?_... _I mean, I couldn't make a cero for my life. I am so screwed!_ I thought about telling Aizen the entire truth, that I wasn't the Hougyoku, just the writer..._I'll be damned if he believes me! And plus, he might determine that I'm useless trash and then kill me! _Nope. Definitely not telling Aizen.

I stood nervously in front of Aizen as he placed his palm on my chest. It suddenly felt very hot. Scorching! It was as if he poured liquid fire into me from that spot on my chest where his hands were. It scalded my veins until it filled me from my fingertips down to my toes. I was so hot! Then I felt it move. It was as if whatever he had stuffed into me all began moving at once. The feeling was so foreign that I cringed and fell to my knees. He was no longer touching me, but whatever he had _put_ in me was still there. I felt like it would rip me apart. I let out a scream that I could no longer hold back. _It HURTS!_ _Oh god, oh god, oh god. Please! Make it stop!_ I clutched my body with my own hands as my fingernails dug into my skin. Hunching into myself, I felt _it_ dig deeper into me. It was as if it was digging its way into my soul, my core, and suddenly, it connected. As if a vacuum existed inside the very center of me, it sucked all of it away and my body did something that my human body had never done before. I'm not sure how to describe it. There are no words to articulate the feeling of some muscle or bone that had never existed before flexing and...converting that hot energy into power. It's metaphysics that our human bodies will never understand just like you cannot describe color to the blind or noise to the deaf. And yet experiencing it...it stopped me dead in my tracks as my brain struggled to wrap itself around what happened...the _feeling. _I felt it find an outlet and I realized this was the power that made Hollows into Arrancar.

My hands absentmindedly went to my chest where the..._conversion_ happened. It felt normal again. I was beginning to forget the feeling already, as if it had never existed.

"Amazing." Aizen snapped me back to reality, "I dare say it is stronger now than before. It took more of my reiatsu to fill it. I wonder if that makes a difference in the arrancar created."

My eyes turned to the unbandaged arrancar that now knelt before me and I gasped. His reiatsu suddenly filled the room and I momentarily lost my breath. Furthermore, I recognized him. This was Luppi, the arrogant bastard that was going to punch Matsumoto full of holes. I clenched my fist. _The more I do this, the more the world is going to be destroyed…Or maybe it was all going to go up in flames whether I have a hand in it or not. Destiny was weird that way. Luppi existed in Kubo's world even in the original world. What is meant to happen will happen. _I felt a tear sear through my eyelids. _What will happen will happen and nothing of this world or not can change it. Ulquiorra will die. So will Halibel, Starrk, and Barragon. Aizen will discard them and try to create the key to the Spirit King's realm, but he will be stopped by Ichigo and get sealed away. That, will never change. _

While I had been lost in thought, Aizen had said something. He now looked at me expectantly for a reply. I snapped out of my daze and stared blankly back at him. The edge of his lips tilted upwards, "Our little Scarlett is always in a daze." He chuckled, but I could tell there was a sliver of hostility lining the laugh. He was not happy that I had ignored him again.

I immediately fell to my knees with my hand balled up into a fist in front of my chest the way Ulquiorra greets him, "I apologize for my transgressions, Master. It won't happen again." I gulped. _Please him or die, Scarlett. Catch on quick! _I prayed to all the gods that I had learned in my religious studies class while I knelt, staring a hole into the granite tiling. His hand patted my head softly. I looked upwards with frightful eyes. His smile was still that same scary tilt of his lips, but there was no longer hostility in the corner of his eyes. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"I forgive you, Scarlett." He turned to the table and continued, "From now on, she will be allowed full reign of all of Los Noches. She is under my protection. Ulquiorra, you will continue to oversee her well-being."

I couldn't help but feel a small flare of happiness at being told Ulquiorra was going to look after me. For now, Aizen had also assured my safety. I doubted any of the hollow would be stupid enough to disobey him. I was also allowed full access to all of Los Noches. Though, I wasn't sure what I was going to do now. I bit my lip.

Aizen finished addressing the Espada and dismissed them while I had once again dazed off into my own thoughts. It was really a bad habit of mine I needed to fix. If I wasn't careful, my head will fly...I sighed, still kneeling on the floor. When I looked up, Ulquiorra was standing in front of me staring down with those same mesmerizing green eyes. Immediately, my cheeks exploded. _He simply stares at me and I regress back into a 12 year old! How unfair is that!_

I gritted my teeth and held up a hand, "Help me up." I commanded cheekily. For a second, something passed through his face and then it was gone again. He took my hand and hoisted me effortlessly to my feet. I fell into him for extra support. Aizen had apparently scared my muscles away again.

Wordlessly, Ulquiorra picked me up again while I wrapped my arms around his neck. His eyes flitted down and stared at me as if I had a code written on my face that he was deciphering. I squirmed, biting my lip again.

He finally broke the silence, "You bite your lips. Why?"

Did I mention my face was already red? Ya? Well it just got redder. I wasn't too sure how to reply. I mean, what the fuck do you say when your crush asks you why you're stuttering around him like an idiot or why you're half chewing your lips off because you're so nervous? Just what do you say to that?...

"Um…It's a habit...sorry…" I mumbled as I cursed my tongue for almost getting in the way. _Just what was I apologizing for anyway? My god I sounded like a social outcast that's never talked to the opposite gender in my life!_ He continued to stare at me. _Doesn't he know it's rude to stare?!_ I was now concentrating very hard on my fingers to keep them from tapping, and every time I began to bite my lip, I willed my lips away by sheer willpower. _God, how long is this torture going to last?! _

After what seemed like a century, he finally turned back to the hallway and strode through. The walk back to my room was mainly filled with awkward silence. By the time he reached the bedside, I expected him to dump me as unceremoniously as the first time. Instead, he gently lowered himself to place me on the soft, barren mattress before withdrawing his arms. I released his neck rather unwillingly. His scent lingered around me for a moment longer before he turned and headed for the door.

_It's now or never, Scarlett! Man up! Or...woman up!_ I bit my lip, "Ulquiorra!" I called, just as he was going to close the door. The door paused and opened a bit wider. He stared back at me emotionlessly. _Just what am I thinking?..._

"How can I...call you?" I trailed off my mumble. I knew he heard it though.

"I will come tomorrow morning." He answered monotonously as he shut the door softly.

I tried to ease past the disappointment that now prodded at my chest. Heaving a sigh, I pulled the blankets around me. Slowly, I felt a smile curl around my lips. I couldn't help it. Muffling my face in the blanket, I took in the smell of Ulquiorra's lingering scent. It was a sweet and yet very male scent that I could not place. There is no describing a person's scent. I felt my pounding heart begin to ease off the pedal. My eyelids felt heavy as I remembered the day's events. I was well and truly here. Ulquiorra was real and he kissed me! _My god! I am now the happiest fan girl in the world!_ I was giggling to myself while sleep lulled me into its comforting embrace. I sank back against the cloud-like mattress. _Tempurpedic? Fucking Aizen is...Aizen. He can afford Tempurpedic…How does he get money though? I mean….money here and there is...must...be...different…_

Right before I drifted off into my dreams, I heard a familiar giggle echo in my head. I was going to open my mouth to tell her off, but strangely my brain wasn't feeling up to it.

* * *

That night, I dreamt of Ulquiorra's arms around me while I snuggled up to him on a soft pink cloud. They were so strong and I could feel the muscles flex underneath my touch. Happily, I looked up to find his emerald eyes, ready to get lost in them, but instead I found a set of sapphires. They were beautiful. Almost as beautiful as the emeralds. My gaze followed along his cheekbones down to his jawline and to his hollow mask on his right cheek. _Right cheek? But Ulquiorra's mask isn't on his right cheek...It's on his head, silly Scarlett!_ I reached my hand out to cup the opposite cheek, leaning in to look at the mask. _Since when did Ulquiorra grow another mask?_ I opened my mouth to tease him about it just when my eyes connected with his. Sapphires the color of the infinite sky. I froze. My blissful laugh froze at my throat, my breath along with it. A streak of blue lined the bottom of his eyes, a striking color that matched his boldly spiked hair. It was as if my mind had ran itself into a wall and now it was dazed, but slowly collecting the pieces to puzzle back together. I blinked. _Nope. He was still there._ I rubbed my eyes and opened them again. _Nope, still there._ I buried my face against his chest. _Nope. I'm still dreaming._ I laughed to myself. _Why the hell am I dreaming about Grimmjow? Ha! Aha…_ I breathed in deeply to calm myself. What filled my nose was a spicy scent. Almost like a strong cologne, foreign and exotic. I jerked myself back away from his chest and jolted my head back to look at his face. _My god...It's Grimmjow!_...

His lips pulled back into an amused smirk, "Morning, Sunshine." I let out a yelp as I shoved him as hard as I could away. He didn't budge. In fact, ironically enough, I was the one that had ended up on the floor. I stumbled to my feet, but my dress got caught on the covers and down I went again. Staggering back up, I glared daggers at the man that lounged mainly nude in my bed. He had started laughing at me. And yes, he looked hot, but right at that moment, I was too angry to be distracted.

"What are you doing here, Grimmjow?!" I screamed at him, blushing madly at my own befuddled stupidity. He was still laughing when I yanked the pillow out from under him and smacked him in the face with it. He threw it aside easily and lounged against my bed like he owned it, the laughter slowly fading.

"You're cute when you're angry, Sunshine." He smirked, laughter still occasionally sputtering from his lips. I glared harder. I reached for the pillow again, but his hand closed around my wrist and pulled me back into bed with him. I yelped, but on top of my muscles not working, he was also wayyyy stronger than me. He pulled and I fell into his chest as he wrapped his other arm around me, snuggling me into him securely. I blushed harder.

Shoving at his chest futilely, I seethed, "Don't ignore me! I asked-

He pulled me again and I fell against his chest, cutting myself off mid-sentence. I grumbled and screamed, blushing all the redder, "I asked- I asked why you're here!" I struggled against his iron grip, but he only smirked easily down at me as if I was being difficult. Eventually, I gave up and settled with glaring at him as hard as I could. He seemed to find that amusing as another burst of laughter overtook him. By the time he stopped laughing, I thought I couldn't glare any harder.

"I had a sudden urge to see you, so I came." Grimmjow answered, still holding me against his chest the way I had woken up to.

"What do you mean you had a sudden urge to see me? You can't just barge into someone's room and sleep with them!" I hissed back at him angrily.

His smirk widened enough to see teeth, "I didn't see you complaining about it before."

"I was _ASLEEP!_" I growled. He only chuckled.

I sighed, "What do you want?"

"You." He smiled, "You interest me, Sunshine."

My heart skipped a beat as my face lit up again, "Well...you don't interest me." I almost choked on my lie.

"Really now?" He smirked as he pulled me closer until our faces were a breath apart. His sapphire eyes seemed to pierce through me. For another moment, I got lost in his eyes. It was like looking into an ice crystal that reflected all of winter if you would just look hard enough...As I got lost in his eyes, he smirked once, and closed the distance between us. His lips crashed into mine fiercely as if he were trying to eat me out from my mouth. I shoved at his chest and screamed into his mouth, but he ignored me. His hands crushed me to his chest as they enveloped me. My lips burned where he ate at it. His tongue darted its way into my mouth, violating me in every way possible. After a while, I seemed to melt into him. I stopped shoving and relaxed my body into his. I felt things low on my body clench in anticipation from the rush he was giving me. I was like a moth being devoured by his flames, helpless, but yet irresistibly drawn to him. I felt a sound escape from my lips. It was halfway between a whimper and a moan; regardless, it only made him all the more eager. His hands ripped away at the dress Ulquiorra had given me to bare my nude body to his touch. The moment his bare skin touched mine, it was as if some switch deep inside me had been flipped. I started to push away at his pants that he still wore, eager for more of his touch. His fingers found their way to my top and he ripped away the fabric with one jerking motion that only seemed to arouse me further. I let out another whimper for him. It urged him further, and before long, we both were completely stripped of cloth, tangled in each other's arms. He finally pulled back from my lips and gave me the look that men wear when they're looking down at you and know that you are theirs to take. Theirs to devour. It was a smirk that brought pleasurable chills snaking down my spine.

I'm not sure what surfaced my brain long enough to think through the sheer need that was riding me, but Ulquiorra was suddenly in my mind. I remembered the face he made when he realized that he wanted me, wanted to kiss me. And I remembered the way he lowered me gently to the mattress as if I were made of fragile glass that would shatter at his touch. It snapped me awake from the stupor that took me.

Grimmjow was kissing his way down my neck when I placed a hand resolutely against his chin, stopping him. His eyes flitted upwards to me with slight irritance, but continued anyway, ignoring my hand. He did something with his tongue that parted my lips and washed me back under the comforting veil of pleasure.

"S-stop! Grimmjow! No more!" I stuttered, desperately picking out the words that I needed to say from a brain that no longer worked. He ignored me and continued downwards towards my chest. I knew if he continued any further, I wouldn't be able to stop him.

"Grimmjow!" I cried, "Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez!" He sent me another annoyed glance upwards, but otherwise continued. My mind was racing. I was going to be taken! _If I don't stop him now, I'll be-!_

"Pantera!" I screamed randomly. He stopped. I gazed down at him breathlessly.

"How do you know the name of my Resurreccion?" He narrowed his eyes at me, sex now flung to the back of his mind.

I took a moment to breath past my pounding heart before I said, "No sex."

He rolled his beautiful sapphire eyes at me, "Answer me, woman!"

"I'll tell you if you promise not to ever force me again." I returned.

He tsked in annoyance, "You looked willing enough."

"If I say stop, you stop!" I argued.

He stared at me as if I had sprouted a second head, "Alright! Now answer me!"

For a moment, I froze. _What am I supposed to say to him?...I am not of this world and your world is just an anime. I actually watched all 366 episodes so I know that your sword is Pantera and you'll soon fight Ichigo and get your ass kicked? Oh ya, that'll totally work! _My mind scrambled for an answer. Something completely stupid crossed my mind, but I was out of time. My mouth opened and I blurted it out before I could think of anything else.

"I am the Hougyoku, I am all the knowledge in the world." I stated arrogantly. I regretted it the moment it slipped from my tongue. _Really? Scarlett, really? Of all the things you say, you say the cheesiest bullshit you can think of? Say Ulquiorra told you or something! What are you stupid? He'll never buy it! _

Sure enough, he was sporting the most suspicious look in his eyes. He eyed me sideways with a scowl as if to say he'll eat me if catches the first whiff of a lie. I was so royally screwed…

"What? Don't believe me? You were alone before you met your fraccion, but when you joined them, they stopped becoming stronger so they asked you to eat them so that they wouldn't regress. What else do you want me to say? How about that you were secretly happy that they joined because-

His hand closed around my throat as I crashed back into the wall behind me. They were squeezing, but not hard enough to kill. If he wanted to kill me, I'd already be dead. It was a warning. A warning for me to shut my blabbering mouth. If I were logical and reasonable and thinking straight, I would have took the warning for what it was and shut up, staying the hell away from Grimmjow, but I wasn't logical. I wasn't being reasonable. It was in the middle of the night, I got dragged into a wack-job of a world by a character that _I_ made, and woke up next to a nude man that was _this _close to raping me. No, my head was _far_ from thinking straight.

I grabbed the arm that closed around my throat and yanked with all the pent up anger and frustration that bubbled inside of me. His fingers slipped away from my throat as I rode him down onto the bed. I pinned him down with my arm against his throat glaring daggers at him. His eyes were wide and lips parted in surprise. I hissed down at him, "I will not be tossed around by your whims, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez. I will _break you_, Cat."

For a moment, he lay back on the bed in stunned silence while I watched him process what had just happened. Then suddenly, he broke out into laughter. He threw back his head and laughed like he had just heard the funniest joke in the world. His sudden laughter startled me. His body was relaxed and no longer pushing against me; it felt stupid to hold him, so I started to let go. As soon as I loosened my hold on him, he yanked me and turned. Once again, I was under him while he pressed his nude body against mine. He gazed down at me with newfound respect and a wide smirk.

"I like you, Sunshine." He chuckled, and lay a soft kiss on my forehead. Before I could move a hand to smack him, he was already off the bed and gathering his clothes that were strewn across the floor.

"I will come see you tomorrow, Sunshine." He promised, sending me a glance that sent shivers down my spine, "For now, good night." He smirked and disappeared out the door as suddenly as he had come. I was left stunned and naked on my own bed, mind still reeling from what had just unfolded.

"My name is Scarlett…" I mumbled to myself grumpily. Even to me it sounded petty.


	4. Chapter 4: Trapped Within Reality

**This is most definitely an Ulquiorra love story! :3 Thank you for reviewing, LD-2015! **

* * *

I woke up the next morning with a startle. My eyes darted around the room to find it the same as I had remembered it. My clothes were in pieces strewn along the floor and my covers mainly on the floor. I was still nude as I leaned back against the headboard, remembering who had come last night. Cheeks flushing again, I shook my head to try and get the image of him out. It didn't work. I bit my lip.

_What the hell am I going to say to Ulquiorra? How the hell do I explain the clothes? Do I tell him that Grimmjow came? It feels like I'll be tattle-taling...What am I, in Kindergarten again?! Teacher! Grimmjow came and tried to rape me last night! _I snorted. _Yes. I should _totally _say that. _I cradled my head in my hands. A headache was reeling its ugly head and slowly making itself known. What I needed now was something like coffee. Or better yet, Starbuck's double chocolate frappuccino. _Yes. That sounds very good right now..._As the thought of the drink filled my head, I realized I hadn't eaten anything for at least 12 hours. _When was the last time I ate?...Before I started writing the story. Why aren't I hungry? I should be famished! _I appraised my flat belly suspiciously, running my palms along my non-existent belly fat in circles. Just as I was lost in thought about the possible changes in my body from being in a _make-believe _character's body, a knock on the door brought me back to Earth. Or Hueco Mundo. Whatever.

Quickly, I grabbed the blanket strewn on the floor and wrapped it around me. The door opened just as I covered most of myself. Ulquiorra stepped into the room with his usual emotionless mask. Immediately, his eyes found the remnants of my dress on the floor. He appraised the room blankly and lastly settled his gaze to me. His eyes seemed to command me to spill the beans, but I glued my mouth shut and leveled my gaze to his, trying to mimic his blank facade.

A crack appeared in his mask, and something akin to jealousy peaked out for a fraction of a second before it was gone and perfect again. It ticked me off. I hated him hiding behind his mask as if he didn't have a care in the world. _You want me. _I willed. _You care for me, I know you do!_ _What happened yesterday proved it!_ I couldn't take it anymore. Tripping over the covers, I landed against his chest, pleading up to him with my eyes. My hands found his shoulders and shook them.

"Stop hiding behind your mask! I hate it!" I exclaimed. What I had done slipped the mask a fraction from its place. He looked startled, as if he hadn't expected a nude girl to pounce on him and start screaming at him. I would blush and start squirming, but I was too angry and sad to be distracted.

"You want me! I know you do!" I echoed my thoughts, shoving at his chest. His hands caught me reflexively, holding me against him in place.

"You are Aizen-sama's Hougyoku." Ulquiorra finally said with almost a hint of sorrow.

"I am Scarlett!" I argued, rising up on tiptoe to look him in the eyes. For the first time, he turned away from me.

"I am Scarlett!" I repeated, "I am not an object! I choose who I-

I bit down on my words. He turned back to look at me with almost a pained expression, "You choose who you what?" He questioned.

Chewing harder on my lips, I stared up at him in silence. _Do I tell him? Do I tell him that I love him? How can I? He doesn't even know me. I've dreamed about him for years, but he's only met me yesterday. How can he possibly reciprocate my feelings? How can anything good possibly come from telling him?_...I cried. _If I could spend time with him. If only he could grow to know me. If only we had time!...But we don't. _Reality came crashing back down. _If Luppi is made, that means there's not much time left. Aizen will order Ulquiorra to go to the Karakura Town any day now, and Ichigo will-_

"You choose who you what?" Ulquiorra repeated again, "Answer me, woman!" Anger clouded his beautiful emeralds and I almost couldn't bear to look at them. I shook my head and buried my face against his chest. He was so still. There was no heartbeat. So silent, so cold.

Suddenly, his fingers traced against my neck, circling a spot that I remember well. It was the spot where Grimmjow had placed his lips and laid his mark! I jerked away from Ulquiorra's touch and my hand flew up to cover the spot. I hadn't meant to, but it was already too late. Ulquiorra's eyes seemed to burn with tears, as if he would fall apart at the softest touch. My mouth hung parted and I couldn't make them work.

Without another word, he turned and left, slamming the door behind him with a loud bang. _What have I done?..._ I fell to my knees on the floor, cradling myself as I cried. _I hurt him. I hurt Ulquiorra. This is all my fault! If I hadn't given in last night! If I hadn't kissed him back!_ I screamed wordlessly at the floor, fingernails digging into my arms while I shook. _I hurt him!_ My vision blurred and I could no longer see the floor right in front of my eyes. _I hurt him! _My chest heaved in labor as my breath came and went faster and faster. _I hurt him!_ A numbness started to spread from my forehead and traveled along my nose. _I hurt him!_ My breath only raced faster. Faintly, I heard the sound of someone's lungs about to give out. _I hurt him! I hurt him! I hurt him!_ _How could I? He's gone. He's gone. He's gone! _My vision darkened as the numbness kissed my head and spread its touch to my arms. _I'm...so tired…_ Everything went dark.

* * *

Somewhere in the darkness, a giggle echoed. I turned to find the source, but every time I seemed to have found the direction it came from, it always sounded again behind me. Panic began to take me slowly as my breath labored away. My chest hurt and I couldn't understand why as I clawed at it. The darkness stole the air from my chest, eating away at my breath as if it were sucking the life out of me. Just when I opened my mouth to use my last breath to scream, a pale hand reached out of the darkness and cupped my cheek. I was suddenly able to breathe again. I reached for the hand and the moment our skin touched, the rest of the body emerged from the darkness. It was the Hougyoku. The goddess I had created from a figment of my imagination. Her silver hair and pale skin seemed to glow in the dark as if she had swallowed the moon and now its brilliance filled her. She smiled down at me softly as she lay a soft kiss upon my lips. The pain in my chest disappeared and the numbness chewing at my head vanished. I suddenly remembered.

_I hurt Ulquiorra._

"Shhh." She shushed, placing a slender finger against my lips.

"I hurt him!" I cried, pulling away from her, and suddenly the darkness became thicker. She stepped into me and pulled me into her embrace and the darkness thinned.

"It was your wish." She whispered sadly against my hair.

"I wished to hurt him?!" I asked, suddenly angry.

"No, it was your wish to love Grimmjow." She replied, "I am the Hougyoku. I manifest the desires of all around me. Inside of you, a small part of you loved Grimmjow, so I called him to you in the middle of the night."

"_You _called him? _You_ were the reason he tried to rape me?!" I pulled away from her to glare at her.

"It is your desire." She replied, taking my hand. I yanked it out of her grasp.

"No! I never wanted Grimmjow! I love Ulquiorra!" I screamed at her.

"Is that why you kissed him back?" She asked simply. I was speechless. Deep down, I had known it. I had known that I wanted Grimmjow the moment I gave in to his advances. I was in love with both of them and for the life of me, I could not resist. But in doing so, I had cut Ulquiorra's heart.

Suddenly, everything seemed too much. I was a stay-at-home type of girl. I never went out on adventures, no hiking, no camping; the closest thing I ever got to camping was making a fort out of sheets and calling it a tent. But this, this going into another world, risking my life, this wasn't me. And LOVE. I didn't have the first _clue_ what love actually entails. Sure, I drooled over the hot bishies like the rest of them fan girls, but actually being in a relationship? Actually interacting with men? Not to mention incredibly broody and otherwise homicidal men? No, that is definitely a first. _I just...I just want to go home…_

The moment I thought it, the Hougyoku glowed. Her skin seemingly caught on fire and I had to squint through the light to catch her face. Her eyes were downcast and sullen with arms spread wide as if welcoming me into an embrace. Unsure, I stepped forward a step.

"If that is your wish…" The Hougyoku's voice echoed in the vast, barren space that was suddenly lit up. It finally occurred to me what she was doing. _She's sending me home…!_ For a second, I felt the first prickle of reluctance. It confused me. This was what I wanted. I was done with this place. I didn't want to be here anymore. _Home is where I belong. Not here. And definitely not with Ulquiorra…_ His emerald eyes appeared in my head conjured from my thoughts. They were glittering with unshed tears. _He looked like he was about to break…_ The speck of reluctance roared alive into immediate regret, but it was too late. The Hougyoku's light grew brighter and brighter as it reached its max, and my vision vanished into the light.

* * *

I woke up with a start on the floor in the bathroom. The plastic tiles were hard, but smooth against my nude body. I was leaning against the wall opposite the counter. Staggering to my feet, I rushed to the mirror. My hands slammed against the glass with a thud as I stared at myself in the reflection. My fingers automatically found my face, touching it to make sure it was real. The girl in the mirror mimicked the motion completely. Dropping my hands, my hand knocked over the green mug that was sitting at the edge of the counter where I lost placed it. It clattered aside, rolling a little before the handle halted it. I righted it silently, then turned back to the mirror. Silence filled the room so loud I couldn't help but break it.

"This is good." I forced a smile.

Turning, I caught sight of my abandoned laptop that still sat forlornly on the bed. Propping open the screen, the comforting hum of the laptop buzzed to life. I opened the Google Doc that contained the story and my eyes skimmed through the pages with wide eyes. It wasn't how I left it. The story had written itself somehow, and the last words on the page were, "The Hougyoku's light grew brighter and brighter as it reached its max, and my vision vanished into the light."

I felt a cold weight fill my chest as I forgot to breath. I took a deep, shaky breath. _Well, this is where I turn around to find some ghost lady behind me!_ I couldn't resist. I turned, half expecting to find something there, but there was only a barren white wall. _Yup. I've lost it. HA!_

Quickly, I slammed shut the laptop and pushed it aside, then decided it wasn't far enough. Placing it on the table in the far corner, I finally climbed back into bed and pulled the covers up to my chin as I sat there staring at my room. The clock read 6:32 PM in bright red, digital letters. I vaguely recalled sitting down to type at around 6:00PM. Only half an hour had passed. Rather, I had typed for 30 or so minutes so no time had passed at all… I shook my head. _Maybe this is all a dream? Screen radiation fried my brains, I tripped, hit my head on the wall, and voila! Weird ass dream about being abducted by a ghost lady into another world!_ My eyes flickered over to my laptop again. _I imagined that too._ I chewed on my lips and realized they were dry again.

Pouring myself another mug of water, I stared a hole into my own head in the mirror as I drank. No ghost or goddess-y lady. Setting down the mug, I rubbed the bridge of my nose, easing away the growing migraine. _Sleep. I need to sleep._

Sleep did not come easily. In fact, it didn't come at all. I stared up into the dimly lit room by the last caress of sunlight filtering through the blinds from the window. My head spun circles around itself until the migraine raged at an all-time high.

Ulquiorra filled my thoughts, and whenever I tried to throw him into the back corners of my mind, he seemed to drift back up to the surface like a stubborn log. It was always the same faces. His startled face when we first kissed, the furrow in his brow as pleasure rode him. His eyes at their most vulnerable, and the realization and hurt that tore down his mask when he saw me that morning. _It was my betrayal._ It had probably been the first time Ulquiorra had opened up his heart to anyone...and this was the result. He would likely never trust another. _And it's all my fault._

I squeezed my eyes shut. Heaving a sigh, I turned to the clock blaring its 11:39PM letter at me like a protest sign. _Just what is bothering me so much? I'm finally home. Safe and sound. No Aizen killing me on a whim, no more hollow bitches waiting to pounce. I was home. _And yet, something kept digging its way into me like an itch that couldn't be scratched. It dominated my mind, incapacitating me. _What is wrong with me?..._

Another century or so seemed to pass by before I turned to glare at the clock again. It read 2:11AM. I gave up. There was no way I was getting sleep tonight. Not like this anyway. I decided that the only way to get past anything was to face it.

I stepped quietly into the bathroom, flicking on the light switch. There was still no sign of the Hougyoku waiting to strike from the mirror. There wasn't a sign of anything at all actually. Everything was painfully normally. I had to talk to her. I'm not sure why, but I just knew I had to. This was home but...it was not. My heart had found a home somewhere else, and I was determined to find it.

I tried calling out to her, "Hey...Are you there?" Silence.

I tried again, "Hougyoku? Scarlett? Hey...please respond." I was talking to myself in the mirror, but my head had no space to take a crack at my own sanity.

"Please!" I cried, a bit more desperately, "I'm sorry I wished to go back! I'm sorry! I didn't mean it!" And still there was nothing. The silence was beginning to edge at my patience.

"_Please!_ I want to go back!" I slammed my palms against the mirror, desperate for a ripple or _something. Anything_.

"I wish to go back! I want to see Ulquiorra again! I want to save them! I don't want him to die! I don't want them to die!" I spouted as my thoughts came out of my mouth unfiltered, "I can't stay here anymore!"

Tears were beginning to stream down my cheeks in increasing frequency, "I was lonely! I was sad! Life was meaningless! I woke up, ate, wrote stories, and then slept and repeated it all over and over and over and over again! Both my parents are gone! I'm alone! I'm all alone in this house and I can't take it anymore! I didn't know what I want but now I do! Please don't take this away from me! Please!"

Pounding the glass, I cried and blabbered away, "Please! Hougyoku! Grant my wish! I want to be there! I don't care if I die! I'm already dead like this! I'm not living! Don't kill me! Please! I don't want to die here! _Please! Hougyoku!_" The only noise that replied was the sound of my own pitiful sobbing and hiccups that wracked my chest. I truly was pitiful.

I scoffed to myself. _How pathetic, Scarlett. You beg your own make-believe character to fix up your life and grant your wish? How stupid. No one wants you...No one cares. If you disappear, no one will know. It'll be months before anyone knows you're gone. Friends? What friends? Ha! _

_Can't cherish what you have until it's gone. What a typical Scarlett. Just like you couldn't treasure Mom until she went back to Taiwan and left you behind. And how you couldn't treasure your friends. Kept telling yourself you were okay alone. It was better alone. No one to please, no one to disappoint. Life is better that way. HA! Ya. Totally. You deserve this, Scarlett. You brought yourself to where you are now. You've got no one to blame but yourself! You pathetic bitch! If only you were gone. If only you disappeared. If only...you had never been born. _

I cried until my eyes were swollen and dry, until my chest couldn't find the strength to take another breath, until my soul seemed to have emptied itself all over the floor. Used tissues were strewn all around me, balled up and moist. One was still crumpled in my stiff hands that I could no longer pry open. Or find the heart to. I curled up on the hard plastic tile in front of the mirror and let the emptiness take me.

* * *

I woke up stiff and sore, hurting in multiple places, but especially in my shoulders. I had fallen asleep on my side on the floor. Straightening up hurt as I rubbed at my shoulders and rotated them this way and that, trying to get roll the kinks out to no avail. My legs were shaky, but they worked as I stood up with the help of the counter. I was still in the bathroom. _Of course I was. Where else would I be?_ The girl in the mirror looked ugly. There were huge bags under her eyes, which were lost in the swollen mass of skin. She had dry tear stains still trailing down her cheeks and her lips were chapped and dried as if she had gotten lost in the Mojave desert. I rubbed my nose and realized they were stuffed. I had probably breathed with my mouth the entire night, hence why they were dried to that degree. I tried to suck in air with my nose, but they were stuffed beyond repair. Only a hot bath could fix this.

The shower head pounded down and cleared the blockage in my nose. I took a deep breath and tried to make myself feel better, but the wrenching pain in my chest was still there. It had just taken a break while I slept, but now it began to wake. I squeezed my eyes shut and dove under the water current, trying to not think of anything. The shower ended before my mind caught on and I was wrapped up in a towel sitting on the bed.

I felt defeated. Like I had been pummeled and ran over by a train. I hated feeling this way. I was usually a lot more headstrong than this moping, whining, depressing bitch that I'm being now. I liked winning. I liked the feeling of being in control of my own life. Not this, I'm-spoon-fed-shit-so-I'm-going-to-open-my-mouth-and-eat-it sort of girl. No, I was definitely the fuck-you-I'm-going-to-make-my-own-food type of person. I sighed. _If only I could just, make a way back. Maybe clap my hands and voila, a portal will appear and I'll be able to step through it into Ulquiorra's arms. Ya, if only. _

Then it hit me. _What if…_

I fumbled at the laptop and flipped open the screen. It was black. _Fuck! The battery!_ I stumbled around the room, tripping over trash bags and random shit trying to find the charger before I found it right where it was supposed to be - plugged into the power outlet. I rolled my eyes at myself and rushed back to the laptop. Plugging it in, it took a moment before the light on the power switch lit up. I smashed at it impatiently. The Windows start-up seemed to take forever. All the while, my fingers tapped away vigorously at the plastic palm rest as if every tap of my finger would shorten the start-up time by 1 second. _I wish_. Finally, Chrome was open and the 'Restore Tabs' option sat expectantly like a god-sent gift.

The story opened and the words that filled the page were different. I felt my heart stop. The last words on the page this time were, "I curled up on the hard plastic tile in front of the mirror and let the emptiness take me." A feeling of both excitement and fear bubbled up out of my lips in an inarticulate gasp.

My fingers whirled over the keyboard as if possessed and I was lost once again within the scene that unfolded in my head.

_She felt the sting of regret like message from God as she rushed back in front of the mirror. She closed her eyes with surety that when she opened them again, the Hougyoku, Amaterasu, the Goddess of the Sun and the universe, would appear before her. And sure enough, she peaked through the fringe of her eyes and found her. The beautiful Amaterasu smiled at her from the mirror and rose once again from the glass. This time, Scarlett welcomed her. They embraced in each other and Amaterasu's light filled the lonely bathroom with a wash of warmth and pure magic. And as soon as she had appeared, they both were gone, taken away into the other world where she now called 'Home'. Scarlett spoke with the goddess before she was returned into the barren room in the form of the goddess herself with a newfound strength to attain all that she desires. _

As soon as the last word was transferred onto the screen, I turned and ran straight for the bathroom. I squeezed my eyes shut and I felt it. A surety that when I opened them again, _she_ would be there. I felt it and I knew it would be. I opened my eyes with a smile and before me in the mirror stood Amaterasu smiling softly at me. I smiled back. _This time, I will attain all that I desire!_


	5. Chapter 5: Back into the Dream

**I seem to be on a roll! Hope you guys like it! **

Tragedy or happily ever after :/ Always the indecision!

* * *

It was as if she swallowed the sun. For a moment, the light that emitted from her body was so bright my eyes began to hurt so I had no choice but to turn away. When the light finally subsided, we were back into the vast empty space, except this time it was filled with a soft, warm light. This, I suppose, was how I had imagined heaven to be like. The light came from no particular direction at all, as if everything was magically lit. _Physics don't apply in heaven apparently._

Apparently I had been pretty distracted by the space because when she giggled, I jumped in surprise. "Hello Scarlett." She smiled at me. It was the smile of a nurturing mother whose child finally realized he was being difficult and decided to stop. I had a feeling I was that child.

"Amaterasu." I half bowed to her in response.

"It's a beautiful name you gave me. I like it." She rolled her name around her tongue as if tasting it, "It's the name of a Goddess from your world, isn't it?"

"It's the Sun Goddess from the Shinto religion." I explained. I was rather surprised she questioned me about the name. I had thought she would just _be named_ it as if she had always been Amaterasu. The fact that she responded to the change in the story proved just how much she stood outside the boundaries of both worlds. _Well, she _is _the entity the brought me into that world in the first place. No surprise there I guess…_

"A Sun Goddess." She mused, then threw back her head and laughed, "Is it because everytime I'm with you, it's always bright? So you decided I was a Sun Goddess?"

I blushed and looked away with a pout. _Psh. Well I'm sorry for being simple…_

She laughed again as if she heard that. I turned back to her with a start. _Maybe she can…_

"Yes, I can hear what you're thinking." She said, laughter fading from her voice, "I exist, in a sense, as a part of you. Even I'm not sure how it works, but I am the most 'tuned in' to your thoughts, your desires, in particular."

I thought for a moment, "So if I wished for Ulquiorra to fall madly in love with me, you can do that too? Just wave a magic wand and he'll fall head over heels for me?"

She giggled again, "No, dearie. It doesn't work that way. My powers are particular in that it creates the _opportunity_ for your desire to manifest. The one who steps forward is still you. I cannot take that step for you."

I rolled my eyes. This was starting to sound like a Christian lecture. Yes, excuse me for being agnostic, "So...just to clarify...I can't wish to be able to blow a Cero out of my hand? Or feet...I don't really mind…" I mumbled the last part, trailing off.

She laughed again, and it was like the sound of bells, "No, Ceros are for hollows. You're human."

I tsked and mumbled, "I could do it in my story…"

"That was me, dearie. I fired it. Though it was completely uncalled for, I have to say. The poor girl only laughed. What crime is that?" She half scolded me.

I made a face. This was beginning to sound so stupid. _My _own creation _was lecturing me on how to write my story? What kind of…ugh! _

"I heard that," she retorted, "Now, there's not much time, but I have to explain this to you before I take you back." She took my hand and gently pulled me closer. I took a step forward.

"I won't be able to be with you anymore after this. I exhausted my powers bringing you to and back. This time, I will probably be gone longer than the first time." She said solemnly, her eyebrows knitted, "That means I won't be able to protect you either. If someone kills you, I cannot do anything about it. Do you understand?"

"This is not a story you can control anymore. While living in this world, you cannot tamper with it at all like you did in the old world. The only powers you have now are your own." She tucked a stray hair behind my ear, "If you want to go back now, I can still take you." She looked worriedly at me. I shook my head and smiled.

"I need to do this. I already made up my mind. Plus, you'll disappear if you use your powers now won't you?" I smiled sadly. I had made her that way. No power is infinite. Everything has an end. The fact that she was exhausted could only mean that she is nearing her limit. Asking her to take me back right now...she will disappear forever…

She didn't reply, only smiled wistfully at me. I squeezed her hand gently, "I have one more question. The fate of everyone...is it set in stone?"

"Do you mean Ulquiorra?" She guessed, "Yes, he will die in the fight with the Shinigami. You should know this."

I bit my lip, "Nothing I can do can change that?" I felt tears stinging my eyes again. _If it's like this, I'll only be going back to watch him die…!_

Amaterasu was silent for a moment, contemplating, then she finally spoke, "Yes, nothing can change that. He will die to the shinigami. No power in this world or the next can alter that fact." My heart clenched. _Why does it have to be like this?! It's so unfair! Is this destined to end in a tragedy?_

"I will be going back to watch him die…?" I whispered aloud to no one in particular. Her hand cupped my chin and brought my face up to face hers. She smiled softly.

"Remember, even though I will not be able to answer your call, I am still the Hougyoku. If you truly wish for something, the opportunity for it to manifest will always be within you. You are a human, but you have the power to do all that you can do in this world." Amaterasu whispered against my hair and pulled away slowly. I stared up at her blankly. It felt like she just told me something important, but it didn't make any sense to me. She just told me everything I already knew again, in riddle-format.

"I don't get-

"There's no more time!" She cut me off and briefly pressed her lips to my forehead. I closed my eyes and felt a warm energy of some sort enter me through my forehead, but it soon faded. When I opened my eyes again, I was standing back in the little dark room with Amaterasu's face staring back at me from the mirror. Instinctively, my hand reached for my face. A lock of shiny, silver hair fell forward past my shoulders. I was back in her body again. _Ulquiorra!_

Turning on my heels, I dashed towards the door, fully intending on rushing to Ulquiorra's side, but I paused at the handle and looked down at myself. I was nude. Blushing bright red, I retracted my hand quickly and swept the room with my eyes. _Messy bed. Torn up dress. Bathroom. Couch. Mirror. Coffee table...No clothes. Great._

I needed to go to Ulquiorra. I needed to explain somehow. To apologize. To make things right! But I couldn't even get out the door. I chewed on my lip and glanced around the room again. My eyes stopped at the bed sheets. _Welp. I will be flashing a lot of people today!_ Rolling my eyes, I stripped the bed of the flat sheet and threw it over my shoulders in a makeshift cape robe. Thankfully, the fabric was large enough to cover all of me. I just needed to make sure the opening was carefully held closed. Satisfied, I turned and ran for the door. It dragged on the floor behind me and bellowed a little while I ran down the hallway. Everything looked the same. Before long, I realized it had been a bad idea to run out on my own. I was hopelessly lost. Desperate, I turned corner after corner in hopes of finding someone. _Anyone._

_I don't care if it's that hollow bitch again, just please! Someone appear!_ I pleaded with no one in particular as I ran aimlessly. Finally, I found a door. Slowing, I paused to catch my breath before I knocked and cracked the door open an inch. Peaking in, I found that the room was dimly lit by a nightlight of sorts even though it should be morning right now. How I knew it was morning? I assumed since no time had passed in the other world when I "world traveled". Though I could be wrong and I'm actually waking up an angry hollow that doesn't like to be woken up in the dead of the night. Maybe this wasn't such a great idea after all..._Too late. _I thought to myself and stepped in.

The room was lit by one nightlight next to the door and since the hallway didn't provide much lighting either, I couldn't see anything in the room. While groping the walls for a light switch, I tripped over something on the floor and fell face first down onto something soft and fleshy. With a yelp, I pushed back up to my feet, but my foot caught on some fabric and down I went again. _Deja vu? _

A male voice let out an "ugh" sound when I landed, presumably on his stomach. Immediately, I pushed away, but didn't try to get up again. I would hate to land on him a third time.

"I'm so sorry!" I apologized automatically, "I can't...see…"

Suddenly, the room lit up with light. Someone had flicked the light switch, and that someone was standing at the entrance of another door glaring down at the both of us. My eyes squinted against the abrupt light but soon adjusted. It was Lilinette who stood with her arms on her little hips scowling at me, ready to spout a ring of curses. _If it's Lilinette, then the one I tripped over is…_I turned my attention back to the male whose chest I currently sat on.

Coyote Starrk stared up at me with a disgruntled frown, also glaring up at the light. I immediately got off his chest and carefully avoided the stack of pillows that I had tripped on twice to stand beside the wall, praying he wasn't mad.

"Starrk! What are you doing?!" Lilinette blazed on him, stalking over as if she would punch the first thing she saw. Maybe she would. I hugged the wall a little closer.

"The light, Lilinette. The light." Starrk groaned, covering his eyes with the back of an arm, but making no move to get up.

"It's already past morning, Starrk! And you're still here sleeping! Get up!" Lilinette jumped down onto Starrk's chest and he let out another "ugh" when she landed on his stomach. I flinched. I hoped I had landed on him softer.

Starrk groaned and shoved her off his chest, turning to his side to avoid the light. Lilinette slapped his arm, "Oi, Starrk!" When he ignored her again, she turned with a huff to me.

"Who are you? What do you want?" Lilinette scowled. I gulped.

"Um...I was...lost…" I stuttered stupidly.

"Lost? Who the fuck gets lost in Las Noches?" Lilinette glared before looking me up and down, taking in my obvious nudity and the flat sheet. I squirmed and tugged it together a little snugger.

"Are you new?" Lilinette questioned suspiciously.

"U-Um...I...guess so?" I wasn't sure how to answer. Yes, technically I was new, but..._maybe she didn't know about me being the Hougyoku. Starrk doesn't really look like one to explain anything to his subordinates._

Speaking of the devil, Starrk spoke up with his back turned to us, "That's Scarlett. Aizen-sama's Hougyoku." He grumbled. Lilinette turned back to him with a glare.

Lilinette slapped him again, "And why is she naked in your bed?! Did you sleep with her?! Aizen-sama is going to kill you!"

"Ahh! I didn't sleep with her damn it! You're too loud! Stop screaming in my ear!" Starrk grumbled, batting at her arms.

"Like hell you didn't! Why is she naked then?!" Lilinette yelled louder.

Finally deciding that he couldn't keep sleeping, he sat up groggily and rubbed his eyes before finally looking at me. He stared at me for a minute. They both stared actually. I struggled not to squirm under their gaze while my face burned. I bit my lip.

He turned to Lilinette solemnly, "Why is she naked?"

Lilinette slapped him upside the head, "THAT'S WHAT I ASKED YOU!"

Rubbing his head where Lilinette just fist-kissed him, he turned back to me, "Why are you naked?"

I squirmed. I couldn't help it. "Um! It's...it's a long story, but could I please have some clothes!" I pleaded.

"Lilinette, go get her some clothes." Starrk ordered, yawning.

"HUH? Why do _I _have to go get her clothes! Go get them yourself!" Lilinette huffed before crossing her arms over her small chest.

"Give her your clothes!" Starrk argued back.

"Are you blind?! She obviously won't fit my clothes!" Lilinette barked.

He glanced at me sideways and smirked with a 'heh', "True. Her chest wouldn't fit your clothes." I couldn't help but smile. Sadly, Lilinette didn't find it funny at all.

"What'd you say, Starrk?!" She punched him in the back of the head and smacked him some more. Starrk chuckled while half blocking her swinging arms. I couldn't help but giggle with them. They looked so happy together. I suddenly remembered their past and my smile faltered a little before I shook it out of my head. The episode of their death came into mind and successfully wiped away the rest of my smile. I stood there against the wall as I watched them bickering like a happily married couple and couldn't help but want to cry. I wanted to scream and blabber to them that they would die. That they _had_ to break ties with Aizen, but I barely bit back on my outburst. _It wouldn't change a thing. They will die and there is nothing I can do about it…!_ A tear escaped my lashes and tumbled down my cheeks.

They stopped fighting and turned to me, wondering why I was crying. "See! You wouldn't give her clothes so now she's crying!" Starrk accused.

"Ahh! I'm sorry! I'll go get it!" Lilinette panicked and ran out the door she barged in from. I quickly wiped away the tear and smiled up at Starrk.

"It's not that." I shook my head, but felt another tear threatening to spill over. I bit down hard on my lip.

Starrk turned serious eyes to me, "Now that she's gone, why are you here? Isn't Ulquiorra supposed to be overseeing you?..." He trailed off, "And your clothes…"

I stiffened. _What do I say? The truth? No, Grimmjow will get in trouble...And it doesn't feel right telling Starrk…_ Shakily, I replied, "It's...nothing. I came out on my own to explore and got lost." I smiled, hoping he wouldn't pry.

"Hmm?" Starrk stared at me and I knew he probably saw through everything. His eyes pierced through me and took in the marks on my neck that I couldn't cover and my nudity. I bit my lip.

Thankfully, Lilinette chose that moment to come charging into the room with a set of clothes tucked under her arm. She tossed them to me and I caught them easily. "You can change in my room." Lilinette smiled, "It's the room next to Starrk's." She pointed to the door she came from. I thanked her and retreated into her room, shutting the door behind me with a sigh.

_Scarlett, you've been here for all of about 12 hours and you've managed to screw yourself up pretty royally! What a feet! _I sighed and dropped the flat sheet. The dress Lilinette had retrieved for me was identical to the one Ulquiorra had given me. _I wonder where she got it…_ Absently, I pulled the dress on and combed through my silver hair with my fingers. It hadn't even tangled. _Uwah...I wish real hair was like this…_ I mused.

Opening the door to Starrk's room, I walked in on another one of Starrk and Lilinette's happy-couple-bickering. _If only I could be like that with Ulquiorra…_ I sighed. If Ulquiorra was like that, I don't know what I'd do... That would be so out of character! Smiling at the thought of Ulquiorra laughing and bickering freely, I walked towards them.

Starrk was the first to turn towards me. What he saw set a smirk on his lips which Lilinette promptly smacked off of his face. "Pervert!" Lilinette yelled at his face, provoking him.

"How am I-" Starrk sighed heavily, giving up on arguing altogether, "Come on. She probably hasn't eaten yet." He got up and headed out the door I entered from. Lilinette followed grudgingly with a 'che' while I trailed them with a small smile.

I spaced out while they argued ahead of me, thinking about Ulquiorra and what I was going to say to him. _What am I going to say to Grimmjow? _I was so screwed. I sighed. _Whatever. I'll think about it later. Please don't let me see them until later…_ While lost in thought, I bumped into Starrk's back. Rubbing my nose and apologizing, I looked up to see what made him stop walking. I froze. I think my heart skipped several beats.

"Ulquiorra, Grimmjow. What a pleasant surprise seeing both of you. Heading to the dining hall?" Starrk smirked in friendly banter. I stepped behind Starrk without thinking and immediately cursed myself. _Fuck! Now they think I'm with Starrk!_ Taking a shaky step away from Starrk, both sets of emerald and sapphire turned to me. I mentally dug a hole and buried myself.

The hallway had intersected with another one, and we stood at a standstill at the 4-way intersection. Ulquiorra was opposite our corridor while Grimmjow walked in from the right corridor. Ulquiorra was silently watching me, his perfect mask glued snugly to his face. Grimmjow broke into a dark smirk, "Morning, Sunshine."

I bit my lip. _Say something you coward!_ I opened my mouth, but what came out instead was, "Um…" Nothing came to mind. Of all the times for my mind to go blank, it chose now. Great. Just fucking great. "G-good morning!" I whimpered. I almost cried. _Stupid Scarlett! Stupid, stupid Scarlett! 'Good morning'? What's so good about this morning?! Everything is NOT GOOD about this morning! AHH!_

Starrk walked forward until he stood next to Ulquiorra, facing the way he came. "You should treat those under your care better. It's easy for people to misunderstand and think you've been abusing them." Starrk whispered darkly. I almost swallowed my tongue. _Shit! Starrk thinks Ulquiorra raped me!_ _How the hell am I going to explain this one…?_

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ulquiorra replied in his same emotionless voice. Starrk stared hard at Ulquiorra while Ulquiorra only stared back blankly, but a small hint of irritation crossed his emerald eyes.

Grimmjow chose that moment to grab my arm and pull in me towards him, "Hey Sunshine. Did you sleep well?" He smirked. Before I could shove him away, Ulquiorra was suddenly there, his hand closed around Grimmjow's arm where he held me.

"What are you doing?" Grimmjow growled at him glaring at Ulquiorra over my shoulder.

"I could ask the same of you. She is Aizen-sama's Hougyoku." Ulquiorra spoke evenly, but hostility dripped from each word.

Grimmjow smirked, "So? Your precious Aizen-sama said no one was to harm her. I'm not hurting her." His grip on me tightened. I flinched. It hurt, but not as much as Ulquiorra's words had stung. _I am just a Hougyoku to him._

Ulquiorra squeezed down on Grimmjow's wrist harder as I saw his knuckles whiten under the pressure, "Aizen-sama put her under my care. I'll ask that you take your hand off of her."

"Why do you care anyway? You left her all lonely and scared in that dark room. I just went to cheer her up a bit. What's wrong with that?" Grimmjow's smirk widened. He was clearly provoking the other man. I stood stiffly, unsure at what to do. I had a feeling that if I stepped in, it would turn very ugly, very fast.

Ulquiorra was silent, but the muscles on his arm tightened as he squeezed down harder on Grimmjow's wrist. I couldn't see his face, but I could tell he was truly angry. His reiatsu seeped from him as the air became so thick I could choke on it. Just as I was about to turn around and finally say something to him, anything, Starrk stepped in.

He put a hand on both of the men's shoulders and Ulquiorra's reiatsu disappeared. Grimmjow dropped his hand from my arm. "I think that's enough." Starrk said sternly. Without another word, Ulquiorra turned and walked back down the corridor he came from. I immediately chased after him, leaving Starrk to deal with an angry Grimmjow. Starrk could handle Grimmjow. I wasn't so sure I could do the same with Ulquiorra. _Please don't let me fuck this up! _I prayed. I finally caught up and grabbed his arm to stop him. He swiveled around with anger shining from his beautiful emerald eyes. I fully expected him to hit me, to shoot a cero at me, but what he did next stopped my heart. Funny he's been doing that a lot.

His lips crashed into mine as he shoved me forcefully against the hallway. He pinned my arms together behind me with one arm and with the other, he cradled my head to absorb the impact from the wall. Using the same hand, he held me still and kissed me harder as if he could eat his way into me from my mouth. His tongue demanded entry into my mouth and I opened up myself for him. It flickered along the inside of my mouth, exploring as he occasionally pulled out to kiss me, bite my lip, and then go back to violating me. His body was pressed up tightly against my own, but there was that painful separation from the hips down. When I tried to close the distance, he yanked my arms back and kept us unbearably apart. I whimpered and moaned in protest, but he kept that infuriating distance between us. Finally, he pulled away from me, but still held me in his arms against the wall. I stared up into his eyes that were swarmed with emotion and I felt a tear slide down my cheeks.

"Ulquiorra…" I whispered.

* * *

Oo, the cliff hangers . Sorry! Heh, I keep doing that a lot huh? xD


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